


0246

by fruectose



Series: from the corners of my brain [5]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25977058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fruectose/pseuds/fruectose
Summary: it's 02:46 AM and there's nowhere Percy would rather be.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Series: from the corners of my brain [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1826065
Comments: 1
Kudos: 87





	0246

What did Percy Jackson want to be doing at 0246 hours, you ask? He wanted nothing more than to be fast asleep, warm and curled up under his sheets, preferably not be tangled in his girlfriend’s freakishly cold legs, but he’d take it as long as she was next to him.

  
Unfortunately for him, any hope of that he’d had flew out the window at 01:43 AM.

“Hey, Jackson. Wake up.”

It was easier than Percy would like to admit to turn his back on his girlfriend of eight years in order to carry on dreaming about a giant cupcake. It got a little harder to ignore her when he felt Annabeth’s bony finger poking into his back.

“I know you’re on the brink of consciousness, man.” She hissed.

“Are you dying?” Percy asked, voice muffled; both with sleep and by the pillow he was stuffing his face into in order to tune her out.

“No.”

“Then leave me alone.”

“Come on, Percy. We can do something fun. Please?” Annabeth whined, and in that moment, they both knew she’d won. A thousand years could pass and Percy would never be able to say no to her. Not when she took that tone, not when she sounded so innocent (even if it’s the last word he’d ever use to describe Annabeth Chase).

Percy dropped all pretense and groaned, rolling onto his back and scowling, his eyes still stubbornly closed despite the fact that any trace of sleep had vanished, leaving his brain wide awake and racing with thoughts. (Mostly revolving around how much he thought Annabeth deserved to be thrown out of their bed tonight).

“I hate you.” He said to the ceiling. Then he opened his eyes and glared at Annabeth’s silhouette, lit up only by the moon and streetlamps from the window. He could feel her exhale a small, breathy laugh of celebration.

“Get over it.” She said happily, pressing a kiss to his eye, although he had a feeling she was going for his cheek. “Ew. It’s wet.”

“That was an open eye.” Percy told her, reaching over her to turn on the night light on her side. She’d already defeated him in his quest for sleep, and he was feeling particularly petty- he would win _something_ tonight, even if it was just her light being turned on over his. He smiled smugly when she squinted as the room was lit up by a warm glow and settled back into his side of the bed.

It didn’t last long. Annabeth was already wide awake and beamed at him, unbothered by his silent victory, her eyes taking on an expression so soft it melted his heart, and then all the bones in his body. He knew that smile all too well; knew that she saved for it specifically for the moments she loved him the most. At any other time of the day, he might have kissed her senseless, but it was _01:50_ in the morning so all she got was an eye roll.

“Stop trying to love me into doing whatever it is you want to do.” He told her.

Annabeth rested her palms on his chest and then propped her chin onto them. Her breath tickled his bare chest, and he couldn’t help feel a surge of affection for the woman in front of- and somewhat on top of- him. Annabeth had just started a new job at one of New York’s most famous architecture firms a couple months ago, and while she hadn’t yet been given a project of her own, she was expected to work long and difficult hours. She’d been doing site visits and preliminary tests and coordinating with city planners and picking up models- all the work nobody else wanted to do and shrugged off to the newbie fresh out of college. That meant that Percy barely ever got to see her. Suddenly, she was wide awake and energized and so close to him- it made his heart ache as he realized how much he’d missed her the last few months. His stomach twisted at the thought of not appreciating their time together enough. She blinked her large, brilliant eyes at him pleadingly and he sighed.

“I won’t fall for that.” He said flatly, falling for it all anyway.

“Okay, Percy.” She made a big show of accepting defeat. “Now wake up. We’re going on a drive.”

Any warmth he felt for her dissipated. _That_ was what she wanted to do? He’d expected she’d have wanted to watch a movie, or chat to him, maybe catch up on all the time they’d lost. He was too sleepy for this shit. He had a patient coming in at ten the next day and he _refused_ to be Annabeth’s midnight chauffer.

“I could’ve been having the best sex dream of my life- and you interrupted that to get me to _drive you around town_?” He asked her.

Annabeth shrugged, unbothered. “Was I in it?”

“No. Rachel Dare and Calypso were, though. And the girl from the café you thought was checking me out.” He told her, earning a playful smack on the arm. He watched an infectious smile creep up on her lips, and he couldn’t help but laugh. “Gods, Annabeth, you can be _so_ annoying.”

“I know. And you like me anyway. Let’s _go_.”

After she’d managed to kick Percy out of bed and help him brush his teeth (an impressive feat, Percy had done his absolute best to be as difficult as possible), she all but dragged him out the apartment building and loaded him into the driver’s seat. Percy had half a mind to start the car and drive off and leave her there, in the biting cold New York street at something-past-two in the morning. Then he caught sight of her pink nose that she tucked into her blue scarf and knew he’d never hear the end of it if he did it. That, and he absolutely adored the woman (even if she sometimes made him wonder if it made him self-destructive), and didn’t really want her freezing to death.

She climbed in and turned on the heater. “Isn’t it supposed to be getting warmer? It’s March!” She complained. Then she shook her head at Percy, like _can you believe it_? “Fucking climate change.”

“Sure.” Percy yawned, not really in the mood to discuss things that upset him. Or anything at all, really. Again, it was fuck past two and he was sleepy. “Where to?”

“Jackson heights.” She said, kicking her legs up onto the dashboard. Percy started them off and reached out with his free hand, smacking her knee.

“Get that off.” He told her for the millionth time in his lifetime. Annabeth ignored him, like for the millionth time in his lifetime.

She hummed softly under her breath.

“Why are you so perky right now?” Percy asked her as she connected her phone to the aux cord and scrolled through her music. “You get crabby when we have to stay out past nine o’ clock.”

Annabeth whistled to herself and played Childish Gambino. “I don’t know. Something in the air.” She sang.

“You get off on inconveniencing me, don’t you?” Percy asked her flatly. “That’s what this is. Some huge ploy to make me as miserable as possible, all to satisfy some depraved fetish in your dark, twisted mind.” He nodded to the beer bottles she’d grabbed. “And you got snacks to enjoy the show!”

Annabeth laughed and looked out the window. “No, Seaweed Brain. I think you’ll like it.”

“You _think_ I’ll like it?” Percy asked her suspiciously. “Remember when you _thought_ I’d like that ugly guinea pig you bought me?” Annabeth leaned back and grinned, obviously still proud of that.

“It reminded me of you!” She laughed. Percy scowled.

“Sometimes I think we’d all have been better off if C.C. _did_ actually turn you into a shrew.” He said.

“If it had worked you’d still be a rodent!”

“It’s a sacrifice I’m now willing to make.” Percy grumbled.

He looked over at Annabeth, her blonde hair tumbling over her jacket from underneath her black beanie. Her cheeks were still pink from the cold and her grey eyes sparkled with excitement. She rarely ever stepped out without tinting her brows and lashes, but she’d made an exception tonight- possibly because there was absolutely nobody on the streets at nearly three on a Tuesday morning- and the sight made Percy’s heart skip a beat. He switched gears and reached his hand out to hold hers. She pressed it up to her icy lips.

“Gods, that’s freezing.” He complained.

“You literally never stop whining, do you?” Annabeth asked, grinning at him. She leaned over and pecked him quickly on the jaw. “I love you.”

Percy smirked at her. “You do, do you?” He asked her. “That’s funny. I love my mom, and I’ve never asked _her_ to drive me across the city at two thirty in the morning.” He said.

“Just say you love me back.” Annabeth rolled her eyes. Percy shook his head.

“No. You’ll get it when you deserve it.”  
“Whatever.” Annabeth laughed, looking out the window again. “I never get to ask you about your day anymore.” She said after a moment.

“I can’t tell you anything about it anyway. Counsellor-patient confidentiality and all.”

“It’s so weird that you’re a therapist now.” Annabeth said softly. “I feel like it was just yesterday we were sitting in the strawberry fields and you were helping me talk through my feelings. Guess that means I was your first ever patient, huh?” She paused for a moment, and then, much softer, “That was almost seven years ago, Percy.”

“We’ve come far, haven’t we?” Percy asked. He thought about his life. He’d known Annabeth since he was twelve, which was nearly half his life. He didn’t really remember a time before her; didn’t particularly care for it. “You know you’re my best friend, Wise Girl.”

“I know.” She said simply. “Now tell me you love me too.”

“So impatient.” Percy laughed.

“You’re killing me, Jackson.” Annabeth said dramatically.

“Okay, where to now, fair best friend, girlfriend and soulmate o’ mine?”

“Take the next right.”

She led him into the residential area- and into what seemed like an eerily quiet neighborhood. Finally, she got him to stop in front of an empty lot, half dug up and littered with beer bottles. Percy looked around him and caught sight of an abandoned building.

“You’re not going to try to break into that building, are you?” He asked wearily, but Annabeth wasn’t listening. She was staring at the empty lot, an indecipherable glint in her eye. She opened the door and got out, and Percy, never one to be left behind, followed after her. She headed straight to the edge of the lot, and Percy had to zip up his jacket to stop the wind from carrying sand into his mouth.

“This is it.” Annabeth said quietly.

“What is it?” Percy asked. She handed him a beer bottle.

“Mine.”

“It’s… yours?” He asked.

Had she _bought_ this random plot in the middle of nowhere? They couldn’t really afford much real estate- not even this dump. Maybe her mother gave it to her, as a part of some convoluted scheme to save the world- it wouldn’t be the first time. Maybe her dad bought her it, thinking it to be a nice gift- Frederick had never been particularly good at presents. He’d once given Percy a full airplane from the 20’s. Percy still didn’t know what to do with his first-edition Ford Tri-Motor, although he did know that it was far too expensive to keep it at the airport much longer.

“In about two years, this is going to be an apartment complex.” Annabeth said. “People are going to move in, and…. fall in love in that building.” She took a shaky breath. “And children might be born. And young adults will mature. And… there’s going to be _homes_ \- in each apartment, there will be warmth and love and _life_.” She said.

Realization dawned on Percy. It was _hers_. He reached out to her, and she slipped her hand into his.

“This is your project?” He asked. His voice was a whisper, thick with emotion. Annabeth nodded, her eyes already watering. Percy felt his heart swell.

Her dreams were coming true. She was making her first mark on the world, one that everyone could actually _see_. For so long, Percy couldn’t help but feel like she was taken for granted. She’d re-built Olympus single-handedly, and all she’d been known as was Percy Jackson’s girlfriend. There was no room for her to shine there- no room next to the Savior of Olympus. It wasn’t fair, but it didn’t matter anymore. They didn’t need the gods- the never did, and this was all the validation they needed.

“I got asked to head it this morning.” She admitted. All the blood in Percy’s body rushed to his head, making him dizzy. He’d found peace in his job, found his purpose, helping demigods work through their traumas. Now Annabeth would get to have that, too. “And I wanted to bring you up this weekend to tell you, but it was only Monday, and I just couldn’t wait.”

“Congratulations!” Percy barked out a laugh, ignoring the way his eyes suddenly felt moist. All he could think was how much she deserved it. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her, holding her as close to his body as he could and tucking his head into her shoulder. “I’m so… I’m just so happy for you.” He mumbled into her ear.

He couldn’t put into words what he felt, so he kissed her softly, hoping that maybe that would show her how much her success meant to him. How much _she_ meant to him. He did- he loved her beyond words. He picked up a flat-ish rock and used it to crack open their beer bottles and clinked it with her.

Annabeth got to her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before they took a sip. “Fuck, Annabeth. You’re doing it. You’re building _homes_. Building something permanent.”

“ _Another_ something permanent.” Annabeth corrected quietly. She looked up at Percy and he blushed despite himself. They had done, he thought. Nothing got more permanent than what they had.

“Guess you’re stuck with me forever.” He said, nudging her shoulder.

“Joke’s on you, I’m a nightmare.” Annabeth joked. She was everything he’d ever dreamed of. “I’m sorry I woke you up.”

“I cannot tell you how grateful I am that you didn’t wait for this.” He told her, kissing her temple.

Annabeth took a sip of her beer and tucked herself into his side, draping her legs over his.

Percy looked out onto the abandoned wasteland that was his girlfriend’s kingdom, at her legs twisted around his, and decided that there were most definitely better things to do at 0246 hours than being curled up in bed and fast asleep.


End file.
